A hydraulically-operated backhoe is a particularly versatile piece of equipment which can be used for a wide variety of material-handling operations. A backhoe is typically mounted on the rear of a tractor or like mobile equipment, thereby providing mobility of the backhoe in use, as well as facilitating transport from one job site to another.
A backhoe includes an articulable boom and dipper arm assembly which is mounted for lateral swinging movement on an associated frame. Selectively operable hydraulic fluid actuators provide vertical pivotable movement of the boom assembly, and relative pivotal movement of the dipper arm with respect to the boom. A bucket or other tool mounted on the free end of the dipper arm effects digging or other work operations.
One measure of the performance characteristics of a backhoe relates to the maximum reach of the boom and dipper arm assembly, and in particular, the maximum working depth of the arrangement. As will be appreciated, versatility of use is enhanced by configuring a machine for a relatively great working depth. On balance, part of the versatility of a backhoe comes from its relatively compact and mobile nature, and thus increasing the working depth of the construction must not result in impairing or limiting the machine's mobility.
To this end, the present invention concerns an improved mounting arrangement for the backhoe boom and dipper arm assembly, whereby relatively greater working depths can be achieved, without limiting the mobility and versatility of the device.